


Of Pleasure and Politics

by Squid_in_disguise (hero_of_derp)



Series: Calibrated Loyalty [2]
Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Contains OCs, Frottage, M/M, Politics, Seeker Trines, Spark Bond, Spark Kissing, Spark Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-03-23 11:48:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3766996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hero_of_derp/pseuds/Squid_in_disguise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A lazy morning begins an important event to the reborn Cybertron. After three years the Council of City States will finally come together for the first time...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Pleasure and Politics

**Author's Note:**

> Exposition!fic so that later fics don't get bogged down. Politics on Cybertron are probably a lot more involved that this overview, but for the sake of this universe we'll say it works something like this, and that there are various Houses and Senates for each city state.
> 
> Contains OCs for ease. The only one that's really important is Nacrea, who is the elected Empress of Vos. I hope OCs aren't a put off for anyone, but I can understand that some people don't like them. 
> 
> Also mentions of Megatron and Orion in a courtship. How we go from Predacon Rising to Megatron and Orion courting is for another fic that I'm working on.  
> And this is indeed after Predacon Rising, though obviously it doesn't go all the same way. And Optimus only gives up the Matrix at the end, without having to give up his life because I sAID SO.

Starscream could get used to this, and he had over the last 3 years. He woke up the same way almost every morning, more or less, slowly, with a warm body beside him and an arm around his waist. Ratchet almost always slept later than he did. Of course, Ratchet usually _went_ to bed later as well, up late in the med bay in case of emergencies.

Emergency vehicle, and all that.

On those nights Starscream always stirred enough when Ratchet climbed into the berth to roll against the medic and give him a good night kiss. Occasionally the kiss turned into more, but not always. Command of the ship and Command of the health of the crew was tiring on them, and sometime the energy simply wasn't there.

Ratchet hadn't come to berth late last night. He'd laid down to recharge the same time Starscream had, but he still slept later than the Seeker, catching up on the recharge he usually missed. Last night's good night kiss had also turned into that ever familiar something more, and some things that were not so familiar.

Starscream wasn't about to wake him just yet.

Starscream onlined his optics and yawned, wings twitching as they stretched slightly, trying to not wake the ambulance under him while he did his morning stretch to get the 'sleep out of his joints', as Miko had said once. He lifted himself slightly to look down at Ratchet, examining that face that he never got tired of looking at. Sometimes he wished that he'd known Ratchet when he was younger, when his frame was unscarred from age and battle, but even now he was handsome. Starscream sighed and lowered his head, back over Ratchet's chest, listening to the low, gentle hum of Ratchet's spark. He offlined his optics and just listened, felt Ratchet's gentle exvents over his head, the comforting weight of Ratchet's arm around his waist.

For the first time since the beginning of the war, since before he'd join the decepticons, he really was happy. He had been, ever since this started, them together. It was hard to imaging he'd ever find solace in someone after Jetfire, much less an autobot, in the tail end of a war that had almost ruined the entire species. Yet there they were, in berth, sharing a cabin, amica endura, and it was just incredible.

Starscream sighed and smiled, wings fluttered. He moved his hand over Ratchet's chest, over the wide frame. He felt so safe next to the medic, and it was an odd feeling, but Starscream had always liked that. A large bot beside him. A protector. A shield to his sword. Ratchet had actual swords in his arsenal, but the point stood. Starscream buried his face against Ratchet's chest and let his engine's rumble slowly match Ratchet's, let his spark slowly thrum along with the medic's.

Life was perfect. He was happy. It was such a glorious feeling.

Starscream laid there, content to just soak in the light EM waves from Ratchet as he slept. The field enveloped him like a blanket, cozy, mixing with his own fields, blurring the point where one became the other. They simply were. It was a closeness that came from sharing a spark, and the lingering effects.

Last night had been their first time taking that step, and Starscream's body sang for more at the memory.

Baring your spark to another was something so intimate that few bots every actually did it outside of medical procedures. Sharing your spark was even rarer. It was sacred and terrifying, showing yourself, all of yourself, to your partner, inviting them in, and becoming one shining, perfect being for a brief moment. Starscream had been so scared, and now it seemed so silly to him. Ratchet had been wonderfully patient and soft and attentive and oh, when they'd finally opened to each other....

Starscream had opened himself like that before, long ago. To his first trine, to Jetfire, even once to Megatron in a singular moment of weak trust, but that had been thousands of years ago. Then there had been Skywarp and Thundercracker, when the Trine bond was formed.

Starscream was scarred, ruined, used really, and why would someone like Ratchet want to touch him? But he did, and Starscream had needed the coaxing. He wanted it, but he was so uncertain, embarrassed that something that was supposed to be wonderful and good had been tarnished in his eyes. That he had been used and not worth such an act. But Ratchet was so sure of him, so confident in Starscream. He'd sat back, and just stroked Starscream's sides. No trapping. No forcing it. And, with time his chestplates had opened, bathed them both in the golden light of his spark, brought them together, and the energy of their sparks, they very essence, had tangled together until it was hard to tell them apart.

What had followed was the strongest line of overloads, several of them, that Starscream had ever experienced. And now that he'd had a taste of that, his body, his spark, sang for more.

Starscream let out another sigh, and his wings perked when he felt the small, subtle change in the body under him. Ratchet was stirring, like he always did when he wasn't woken by a rude alarm, slowly. Systems were clicking into place online. His hands twitched, like they did, searching for Starscream, but they relaxed when he recognized Starscream's frame under his fingers. He raised his other hand and wrapped his arm around the Seeker, rolling them over slightly so they were both on their sides. Starscream chuckled softly as Ratchet buried his face against Starscream's neck, inhaling, then nuzzling, not fully awake but awake enough to recognize the slight hint of arousal in Starscream's field. His own field was starting to echo it.

Finally Ratchet pulled back and opened his optics, looking at Starscream. His optics focused and refocused with a slow and quiet whirr, and he smiled. "Morning."

"Morning," Starscream purred, and pressed his frame against Ratchet's, gentle but firm. "We cant dally too long, _amica._ You know what today is."

Ratchet let out a small huff. "Day zero of the first council."

"And it's going to be stressful for everyone." Starscream let his servos roam over Ratchet's frame. "So we should do what we can to ease the tension before we have to be all business."

Ratchet's engine revved slightly as he rubbed over Starscream's back, one hand slipping down to his aft. Starscream bent a leg, curling it over Ratchet's hip. Their panels gently rubbed together.

"Is that your scientific opinion?" Ratchet leaned closer, and they shared a kiss, slow and lazy and tender. The kiss lasted just as long as it needed to, not too short and not too long, just perfect. Ratchet moved his hips in a small circle against Starscream's.

"It is," Starscream whispered when their kiss finally ended. "What do you think, doctor? Does the idea have merit?"

"Hmm..." Ratchet fingers rubbed against Starscream's aft, then dipped down and rubbed at his valve cover. "I'm inclined to agree," he said, and Starscream laughed Ratchet joined in, and they kissed again. There were gentle nips and passes of glossas in their kiss, still slow, still tender.

This coupling was unrushed, gentle. Their interface covers opened, spikes pressurized, and their hips moved together. Spikes rubbed against each other and against their bellies, delightful and different kinds of friction.

But it wasn't enough.

"Ratchet..." Starscream's hands splayed over Ratchet's chest. "Can we..."

"Yes," Ratchet said, instantly. His chest panels slid open, washing them in the blue light of his spark. Starscream's chest opened just as quickly, his golden glow meeting Ratchet's blue. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, hips still moving against Starscream's. He lifted a hand, pausing. "May I?"

"...Yes," Starscream whispered. His fans hitched and clicked on, lowly. Ratchet's field washed over him, warm and protective, and the medic moved over him slightly. One arm was still around Starscream, and his other hand trailed over his torso, tracing the patterns his armor left, and then...inside.

Starscream's optics flickered offline as Ratchet's fingers moved over untouched wires and inner workings that hadn't had attention for eons. Every touch sent waves of pleasure over his body and through their bond. This was something he'd never done, with anyone, and Starscream shivered as Ratchet's fingers brushed over his spark casing. Shock ran through his system, and it was incredible. His body warmed under the attentions of Ratchet, and he sighed. Their fields were melding again.

Unrushed and perfect.

Ratchet had taught Starscream so much. What love could be. What interfacing could be. What real companionship could be. How it felt to wake up next to someone and never want to get up.

Ratchet moved down Starscream's body. He kissed Starscream's spark casing, and tilted his head. His tongue brushed over the crystal itself.

Starscream arched with a loud gasp, and his hands went on Ratchet's shoulders, tensing. " _Ohhh_...!" Starscream's head fell to the side and he panted, trying to aid his body as it tried to cool against the sudden heat that rose in him. He pressed a thigh between Ratchet's legs, and Ratchet rubbed against it, grinding his spike against Starscream leg. Encouraged, Ratchet kissed over the spark housing again, letting his world become nothing but Starscream as he ran his tongue over it.

Starscream felt as if he'd had the purest highgrade in the world, and he could feel himself rising, and Ratchet was rising with him, the wind under his wings, lifting him. His overload came without warning, gentle but deep and long and lasting. Pleasure charged through his fields and Ratchet's field rose to meet the sensation. He shuddered against Starscream. Their transfluid mixed together between them.

"Ratchet," Starscream whispered, tugging him back up, and when Ratchet returned to eye level he kissed him. "My amica."

"Amica," Ratchet echoed. He pressed their chests together, and their sparks lit up, bright, melding together, and for a brief, eternal moment, they were one. All of Starscream's anxieties and insecurities were washed away in a sea of blue. All of Ratchet's weariness, his failures, lifted away in a wash of gold. The energy between them grew and grew exponentially, and the rest of the universe fell away. All that was left was them, holding one another. Another overload shot through them, both of them, and Ratchet arched against Starscream, gasping.

When the energy created between them finally dissipated they fell apart, chests sliding shut, but Ratchet pulled himself back close, buried his face in  
Starscream's neck. "Thank you," he whispered.

Starscream wrapped his arms around Ratchet's neck, stroking the back of his helm. Ratchet was as overwhelmed he was, and it was so flattering to think that he had caused the medic so much pleasure that it was almost overbearing. He knew it, because he felt it too. "For what?" He asked, voice quiet.

"Trusting me." Ratchet pressed a gently kiss against Starscream's neck before he pulled back. "..Shall we go face the world?"

Starscream sighed, looking at the ceiling. "I suppose it is our duty. Just...three weeks of this...We won't be able to see each other."

"I know." Ratchet pushed himself up on one elbow, and he sighed. He put a finger under Starscream's chin and tilted his face up so he could give the seeker a gentle kiss. "We should have waited. I want nothing more right now than to just lay here with you and let our sparks play until we forget who is who."

Starscream chuckled and covered Ratchet's hand with his. "That sounds lovely. However...we do have duty..." He closed his eyes. "I don't suppose you would step down as medical advisor to Orion."

"Not until I train First Aid." Ratchet smiled. "Then, maybe... Vos is a bit more grounder friendly. Maybe I'll open up a clinic there."

"Would you be happy? With just that?" Starscream's voice was the barest of whispers as he looked up at the medic.

"I will be happy with _you_." Ratchet kissed Starscream's forehead. "No matter where we are."

 

* * *

 

"Captain Starscream, Air Commander of Vos, do hereby transfer command of the Harbinger to First Officer Heatseeker until my return," Starscream said, and the flier before him snapped to attention with a salute. Heatseeker was a promising one, one of the eradicons that had been under his command so many years ago. The flier had taken on a new name, new paint, and was well liked and trusted by the troops. Starscream had taken the bot under his wing, as it were, and this would be his first real test.

"I relieve you of duty, sir!" Heatseeker kept the salute for the appropriate amount of time.

"I am relieved. Do try to not destroy my ship in my absence?" Starscream raised a brow, and Ratchet laughed behind him, already in the shuttle.

"I'll do my best, sir." Heatseeker grinned. "Three weeks, right?"

"Unless it stretches longer." Starscream turned to enter the shuttle. "You all know the comms to listen to the proceedings."

"We'll try to not let it interfere with work." Heatseeker grinned as the shuttle doors closed.

The shuttle was small but comfortable, and Starscream sat down next to Ratchet, leaning against the other bot. The shuttle didn't need to be large. All it had to do was get them through the space bridge and to Cybertron. They'd have to part when they finally landed, but for now they had a few minutes before politics would push them apart.

It had taken Cybertron years to decided on what direction to take their planet, and yes, they were not all unified, but that was the beauty of it. The Council of the Prime was made up of a wide variety of bots, and Orion was ruling as the judge. He had received the position after a near unanimous vote. Even if the Matrix of Leadership was no longer with him, he was the closet thing they had to a Prime these days and, more importantly, he was strong, fair, and closer to Primus than anyone else was.

Unfortunately, he declared that a balance had to be served, and Megatron now stood at his side. That had gained him no points, but he stood by his old friend (and courtmate, if the rumors were true), stating that Megatron had seen the error of his ways. If nothing else it helped calmed the decepticons and assure them that they would be treated fairly. The trial that had decided Megatron to be not guilty (but also not innocent) helped his case.

The thought of sitting in the rebuilt council chambers with Megatron in the same room did not please Starscream in the slightest. Thankfully he was the military adviser to the Vosian councilor, and thusly would have no contact with Megatron. Perfect.

There was a council member for each of the major city-states, the leader of the capital cities. They answered to their people, to their at home council. The council advised them, and the council was advised by smaller councils, and so on and so forth, down to the mayors of the districts of cities and off world colonies. The entire process was long and involved but so was their species.

Orion had asked Ratchet to be one of his own advisers on matters of science and medicine, and Ratchet had accepted. Starscream was the military adviser to Vos, the exalted Wind Commander. That meant they were on different sides and, because of the rules against under table dealings, they had no choice but to have limited to no contact during the council meetings. Which were always at least two weeks long. Given that this was the first formal gathering, it was likely that it would go on longer. One day for each City State, then as many extra days as were needed to extra discussions. The first informal meetings that decided on a full extra week for the end discussions.

Three weeks. Twenty-one days. All that time away from each other.

Starscream let out a slow breath exvent and turned his head, looking up at Ratchet. "Last chance to furiously make out or call in sick," he said, humor in his voice. Neither of them would 'call in sick' for something of this importance.

"Tempting." Ratchet sighed and looked down at Starscream. "You know, a little clinic in Vos is sounding better and better."

The shuttle passed through the activated space bridge, and Starscream gave Ratchet a small kiss. "And to think, you wanted to retire." He pulled back as the shuttle looped into orbit around Cybertron, and he looked out the window. "Ratchet....look. It's alive again."

Ratchet turned to look out the shuttle window, and he smiled. Cybertron was not dull and dead and grey. There were bright spots all over, ships soaring through the atmosphere, satellites in orbit. It was reborn, and while some scars would remain that didn't mean that the rest of Cybertron couldn't heal. He could even see the dim glow of hotspots, and clusters around them, likely nurturers harvesting new sparks for the next generation. "It is." He looked back at Starscream. "It's home."

"Just about." Starscream grinned at Ratchet, looking so young for a moment, as the shuttle began it's descent into the atmosphere. They would be landing in Iacon, it looked like. "You know when we land I'll have to take off to get the next land bridge to Vos."

"I know." Ratchet took Starscream's hand as the ship began to shake slightly. He coaxed Starscream down to sit again, though they were both turned, looking out the window as Cybertron grew closer.

"It won't be the same." Starscream said, quietly. "It never will be. We've lost so much."

"We've learned just as much." Ratchet reached out and turned Starscream's head toward him. "It won't be the same. But Starscream, it'll be better. That's what we're here for."

"You're right. My wonderfully smart autobot." Starscream leaned in, wrapped his arms around Ratchet's neck, and kissed him. "We will make a world worth living in. Worth thriving in." He gave him another small kiss, then sighed. "Ohhh if only we had more time. I would frag you into the seat under us for one last bit before we have to part ways," he said, loftily, voice raising a few notes. "Oh well, as it is I suppose I'll have to think of delicious filthy things to do to you when we get back to Earth. Or before then. I suppose a few days of vacation couldn't hurt."

"Vacation? Us?" Ratchet chuckled softly. "And how long do you think that will last?"

"Long enough, my dear Ratchet." Starscream smiled up at his amica. "Just as long as it needs to."

The shuttle landed well before they could warm each other's frames to the point of no return, before their fans could click on, and they broke apart regretfully. There was nothing to gather for them, as everything they needed was simply in their subspace. A few data pads or trinkets, that was all they'd brought. After all, this wasn't a personal trip. The shuttle door opened, and Orion was waiting.

"There's your escort," Starscream said with a small chuckle. His wings twitched up as he left the shuttle, hands to himself, and Ratchet followed. "Orion, I do hope that you'll take care of my amica."

Orion laughed softly and held out a hand. "It's good to see you again, Starscream."

Starscream took his hand and shook it once, before his other hand was taken by Ratchet. The seeker turned to the other bot, letting go of Optimus. "It will be better to see you when this is all over."

"What's a few weeks after a lifetime?" Ratchet lifted Starscream's hand, kissing the back of his fingers. He let go of Starscream's hand when the seeker tugged on it gently.

"An eternity." Starscream sighed and his wings twitched as he crossed his arms. "But we will survive. Until the end of the conference, amica." He blew Ratchet a kiss before leaping backward into the air. He flipped as he transformed, and couldn't resist showing off, spinning into the air and whipping around them before truly flying off with another spin.

Ratchet watched him go, thinking that he could never get tired of Starscream in flight. As smooth and graceful as he was on his pedes, in flight he was a true artist. He was a skilled dancer, and when Skywarp and Thundercracker were involved it was even more evident. He was graceful, incredible, every movement carefully chosen, not a single motion wasted.

"Thank you, my friend," Orion said, placing a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "I understand how difficult this must be for you."

"Yes yes, well, this is Cybertron's future." Ratchet sighed and shrugged, looking at Orion. "But, how's life without the Matrix treating you, Optimus? I see you downgraded your frame. No more jetpack?"

"It's Orion, these days." Orion smiled at Ratchet. "And yes. I have no need to fly. This form, though armed, suits me, I find. And it is nice to not have to hurt my neck looking up at Megatron, as I would have to if I went all the way back to my archivist frame."

"Megatron...yes. Hmph." Ratchet frowned slightly. "Optimus - Orion, sorry. You know how I feel about that."

"He has changed, old friend." Orion smiled still. "I believe he has seen the error of his way. He is more the mech I loved long ago than I have seen since the war started."

Ratchet sighd and patted Orion's arm, and the two started to walk. "You are a grown bot Optimus. I won't stop you from making your own decisions."

"It really is Orion, Ratchet."

"Old habits die hard. You'll have to humor me. Old bots forget things."

Orion laughed. "Yes yes. Well, old friend, it's about time for my mid day refuel, if you'd like to join me. And then you can tell me what's got you in such a good mood before we are forced to get down to business." He smiled.

Ratchet returned the smile. "Starscream, of course." They walked slowly, taking in the sights of Iacon rebuilt. "Last night we....shared sparks." He rested a hand over his chest. "It was incredible."

"I am so happy for you, Ratchet." Orion optics brightened.

"Yes yes. Still, leave it to me to fall for a Decepticon."

"You and me both," Orion said, looking ahead before he transformed. "You and me both."

 

* * *

 

It was easy to grab a landbridge to Vos. In fact, as soon as he'd taken flight he'd gotten the ping from his trine mates. They were ready for him, waiting at the nearest bridge control. Clearly, Skywarp wasn't able to wait. Starscream had barely registered the ' _incoming!_ ' message before Skywarp materialized on front of him, and he spun away to avoid a collision.

// _Skywarp!_ //

// _Missed you!_ // Skywarp spun around Starscream, his trine bond surging joy and adoration. Starscream smiled and put a small spin into his flight, joining Skywarp in an aerial dance. He allowed Skywarp to lead them to the bridge control, and they landed with a flip.

"Starscream." Thundercracker smiled. Skywarp tossed his arms around Starscream and tugged the air commander down for a kiss before pulling him to Thundercracker. Thundercracker leaned down to nuzzle the side of Starscream's face in a brief greeting, and Starscream turned his head to give the larger seeker a gentle kiss "We did miss you."

"It's only been a week." Starscream rolled his eyes and chuckled. "How did you two ever get along without me?"

"I have to wonder that sometimes." Thundercracker closed his eyes as Starscream reached around him to give his wings a gentle stroke. When his engine rumbled, Skywarp laughed.

"Such a tease, Star," Skywarp said. "Be nice to TC, he's been worried about you."

"Worried? Oh Thundercracker, how sweet." Starscream's hand left Thundercracker's wing to pat at his cheek. "Well, shall we go home?"

"As much of home as we have here on Cybertron," Skywarp said, wings perking. "When are you going to let us get a proper eyrie on Vos?"

"Skywarp-"

"No TC, I want to know!" Skywarp pouted at Starscream. "How long until we stop living on that station over Earth? Until you take proper command here?"

"I... I understand, it's frustrating." Starscream placed a hand on Skywarp's shoulder. "But bear with me a little while longeer. You have been so good so far. I promise, I'll make it up to you." His hand went from Skywarp's shoulder to his neck, plucking at a few wires. "Okay?"

"Alright," Skywarp said, with an overdramatic sigh. He perked quickly, wings going up as he looked to Thundercracker. "Lets go to Vos!"

"Open the ground bridge, please," Thundercracker said, and the ground bridge attendant typed in the codes they'd already been given. The bridge opened and Starscream jumped up and transformed, flying through. Skywarp and Thundercracker were right on his tail. When they were on the other side, they arced upward, and Starscream got his first good look at new Vos.

The last time he'd seen the city, it had hurt. He could still remember the tall, gleaming towers, the lights, the sights of seekers flying all around. Seeing nothing but rubble and frames had hurt. Now, only a few years later, and it was a whole new story.

Dstruction had been cleared, and parts of the city were rebuilt, as glorious as before, each spot a tiny gleaming oasis in a desert of destruction. The royal eyrie had been rebuilt, as a hope for the returning Vosians and it had worked. It was well worth the materials needed, and for the most part reconstruction fanned out from that point, following the same paths the city had had long ago.

A flighted people meant that buildings were tall. Some were connected through skybridges, and other simply had landing pads on various levels, and many had elevators to get between the many floors. Each building was perfect in it's design, artistic even, a sight to behold. Yes. Vos was beautiful, even now, sprouting from it's destruction, and so were it's people.

Starscream felt a bit emotional as they soared over the city, taking in the sights. Recovery was a long road, but seekers were as tough and stubborn as anything else. They would rebuild. Vos would be whole again. It looked far more like old Vos now than it did before, but there were noticable upgrades, now that they had the chance to remake Vos.

The spirit of Vos would remain, but her body would be made better.

// _Let's go_ // Starscream pinged his trinemates, circling around the tallest tower of Vos, the royal eyrie, effectively the capital castle.

// _Thundercracker of Vos, coming in for landing._ // Thundercracker announced over the public comm lines, and they got an affirmative. They circled around once more before they landed on one of the wider landing pads that jutted out of the rising tower. They transformed together, landing in unison.

"It's so good to be back!" Skywarp said, and the guard at the entrance nodded at them, motioning for them to go in.

"The royal council is waiting on you," the guard said, nodding at them, and giving a small salute. "Air Commander."

"Fashionably late, then," Starscream said. He lifted his head high as he entered, Skywarp and Thundercracker close behind him. He knew the way to the council chambers by heart, more or less, or so he hoped. As long as the floor plan hadn't changed too much... Thankfully it hadn't, and Starscream pushed the tall doors open.

"So sorry I'm late," he announced, and the seekers in the room looked at him. He wasn't the last to arrive, but he was nearly, and he strode into the room as if he'd owned the place, looking around, before taking the seat that someone motioned at. Skywarp and Thundercracker waited outside, likely going to some other room that the other trines were waiting at. Technically their trines weren't forbidden, but everyone was wary that these were new waters, and no one wanted to test the limits just yet.

"Welcome, Starscream," the femme at the head of the table said, smiling. Nacrea and her trine had been elected the first royal trine of new Vos by a land slide, before Vos had even started rebuilding. Kind, charismatic, she seemed to honestly care for their people, and she had both military and political experience. She'd been under Starscream's command once. He could recall back when she had been under his command, barely out of her sparkling armor, and then again when she'd been among the Decepticon ranks.

He could also recall the order to shoot her down when she'd defected and become a neutral, but she'd learned from the best and disappeared before Starscream could offline her. Thank Primus for that.

"Why thank you," Starscream said, picking up the datapad sitting in front of him on the table and turning it on. He'd never been on this side of the table before, too young and inexperienced to be on the council, even with his heritage, but he remembered sitting in his carrier's lap and trying to peak at the datapads during meetings in the past. Both of his creators had been on the council.

After all, they'd been the co-rulers of Vos, even before he'd been sparked. His siblings, lost now, had followed, most of them created during their long and illustrious rule of Vos.

"You didn't have to come you know. Predaking could handle this." Nacrea smiled brightly, and Starscream could see how she'd won so many over. "So much traveling in one day, and we're simply going back tomorrow."

"Yes," a larger seeker commented, from the medical side of their council, and he frowned, almost disapproving. "We all thought you'd be spending time with your...grounder _friend_."

Starscream set his data pad and smiled at the bot across the table. "Oh don't worry Lumis. I spent plenty of _time_ with him this morning." He licked his lip plates.

It was fun watching him squirm at the insuiation in Starscream's words. Whatever Lumis was going to say, he bit back, scoffing as he looked away pointedly, wings twitching, backing down. There was no doubt that Lumis was one of _those_  seekers, that thought grounders were so far below them that they were little better than animals. How one had gotten onto the council, where they would have to deal with grounders, was a mystery.

Starscream pondered, momentarily, about the possibility of welding Lumis' mouth shut before he could say anything more foolish.

The last few bots arrived quickly, and Starscream looked around the table. There was the treasury and ecnomics member who advised on both Vos' inner commerce as well as outside trade, a small seeker named Binary. He didn't recognize Binary personally, but the little bots reputation preceeded him. Binary could calculate massive amounts of data in little time, and if his stature was small his processor power wasn't. He was an odd seeker, one of those that had never retrined after the war, but he seemed to enjoy the company of numbers more than people other than his mate, who was a nurturer.

Sitting next to him was the adviser on matters of crime and justice, the High Judge, Obreve, one of the oldest seekers on the council and Starscream could remember her sitting on councils long ago. She was a severe bot, incredibly by the book, but that wasn't to say that she never showed mercy. She advised her various judges on being stern, but creative with their punishments. There was no need to crowd their prisons for minor infractions.

Starscream was sitting next to her, as the Air Commander of Vos, the military consultant and commander, which included both offensive and defensive, and as a result his and Obreve's offices were close. The regular guards and police being somewhere between both of their jurisdictions left them communicating often.

There was the adviser on Medical matters, Lumis, who was by all accounts a grumpy bot who would have much rather been working in a hospital rather than be on a council. In many ways Lumis reminded Starscream of Ratchet. He would have been potentially interested if Lumis wasn't such a grim pain the aft, humorless, and otherwise boring.

A new addition to the council that hadn't been there before was a Labor board. The Caste system had been tossed aside, and Nacrea had insisted on various laws being set for bots of any place, from miners to shop bots, from pleasurebots and buymechs to politicians such as themselves. As a result a new division of their government had been formed, the Labor division, run by a former Decepticon who still wore his badge with honor. Coal Wing had been of the lower castes, and technically was not a Seeker, just a flier, but the things he had seen and gone through made him passionate. He was one of the most open minded Cybertronians that any of them had ever met, unjudging, patient, and an excellent addition to the council.

Lastly was the Architecture and Development adviser, Strutt, heavy set and strong and possibly the tallest at the table. He was as hands on as any of the workers, and more than once his assistants had to remind him that he did not need to carry loads by himself, and the dual meaning of work and the heavy beam he carried was often lost on him. He had gotten better, at least, at not taking on loads by himself, in both senses. He had also proposed ways to make their city more accessible to grounders, which had met some resistance at first but now a days most towers were made with ramps and elevators in mind for visitors.

Each one had various sub departments, committees, and advisers, and each one of those had the same. All of Vos seemed agreed that it was time for every voice to be heard, and from what Starscream understood most of the other city states had similar systems going. Apparently, most of Cybertron believed it too.

"It looks as if everyone is present," Nacrea said, and stood. "Shall we begin, then?" When everyone nodded and mumurered an affirmative, she smiled as the doors closed. "If you'll all look over our datapads, we'll go through the proposals for tomorrow in the other that we drew lots. and remember, I want everyone to chime in. There are no stupid ideas or opinions." She sat back down. "Only discussions!"

And that was why Vos, as a whole, adored their newest Royal Trine.

 

* * *

 

Day Zero was finished, and Starscream was one of the last to leave the council chamber. Skywarp and Thundercracker were waiting for him, expectantly, and they both seemed to pick up on his weariness. Skywarp's wings perked as he hugged Starscream, and Starscream rested his head on the other seeker's shoulder. "Let's go back," Skywarp said, wings wiggling as he comforting his Trine leader in his own way, adoration and calming washing through their bond, and Starscream laughed.

He didn't realized how tired he was, how on edge, until Skywarp was the calm one compared to him. Thundercracker was another pleasant feeling around him, and the larger seeker placed a hand on Starscream's back.

"While you've been busy playing house with your medic, we've been working on an apartment here. Nacrea was kind enough to lend us an apartment in the castle, but we weren't sure how open you'd be to that."

They both smiled at the wash of relief that came over Starscream's side of their bond. "You are both too good," Starscream said, relaxing for the first time in hours. "Let's go. I could use some energon and a wash."

Skywarp pulled back from the hug and took one of Starscream's hands. Thundercracker took the other, and they walked, hands held together, until they reached a landing to take off. Starscream slipped back, letting Skywarp and Thundercracker lead, too tired to deal with proper protocol right now. They landed on the landing pad of a mid-level apartment tower, and the apartment attached to that particular pad wasn't an entire floor, but actually rather small. Given how little they were actually there, they didn't have a great need to constantly be there, so a smaller apartment was not wasted on them. It was...modest. Cozy, really. There wasn't much to it, but there really didn't need to be.

Starscream could see the small influences of Skywarp and Thundercracker in what was there, in a few pieces of rough art on the wall, in the seating, even in the slight mess that Thundercracker had clearly attempted to tame.

"We set aside a room for you, but if you want to share our berth tonight..." Thundercracker offered, but Skywarp was already gently tugging Starscream toward their room.

"I'd rather not be alone, really," Starscream said, let himself be pulled, and that was that for them.

 

* * *

 

"By the power vested in me by the Council here, I declare the first meeting of the Council of City-States begun." Orion tapped the gavel on his desk, overlooking the round table where the others members of the council sat with their various advisers. All of them had the itinerary, had had it for a few months.

Most of this was a formality, the first real meeting that would steer their planet in new, more equal directions. It was important, but everyone knew what the past had reaped, and none were willing to repeat that war.

Few were happy about Megatron standing at Orion's side, but the trial had gained a surprisingly amount of sympathy for the former warlock, and Starscream was only a little bitter at his part in that. As it was, the entire government was littered with a mix of Autobots, Decepticons, and neutrals. Megatron standing next to Orion was a comfort to some.

It wasn't precisely a comfort to Starscream. He disliked being in the same room as Megatron, after his hand in the warlord's death, not to mention that he had offlined at Megatron's hand in turn, more than once. If it wasn't for his trine waiting outside, if it wasn't for his amica sitting on Orion's other side, he likely would have refused to sit in on the council, but the three of them there were a comforting, calming presence.

Small automated cameras spun around the chamber as the leaders of each city-state debated. Every meeting was publicised, recorded for the archives, and that had been important to Orion. Hiding the politics had done no favors in the past, and he had proposed that the meetings be public, that the general populace be able to view the proceedings and form their opinions and even say what they want. There had been much debate on that, and there still was, particularly with what remained of the functionalists, who were not happy that they had been replaced.

When the first day came to a close, Starscream was tired of listening to the politicians argue. It hadn't gone well, and he realized how unified Vos and it's colonies and other cities and areas were, compared to the other city-states.

Orion Pax had to calm the council to order no less than twenty seven times in the first day, and several issues had to be placed in "further discussion needed" so that they could get through everything they had to in the first day. That gave the city states a chance to research on their own.

"Not bad for a first day," Nacrea commented as the meeting finally ended with Orion's declaration of such, and she looked at Starscream. She ducked her head, smiling. "How do you think I, I mean, we did?"

"You have a talent for keeping calm, even when others are yelling." Starscream stood and looked across at the Prime's raised council. Ratchet was looking at him too, and Starscream smiled, warily, before it faded and his wings drooped. All they could do was look, and it was maddening, to have Ratchet so close but so far.

They had no reason to contact each other, officially. Different sides of the table and different positions in their own council. In the eyes of Primus, they had no reason to speak. Even outside the chamber, it was all but forbidden for councilors from different city states to meet alone. Back alley dealings and underhanded communications were not allowed. All correspondence between different city states were made public, as were the orders, and they'd all agreed to that.

That meant that Starscream couldn't even ask Ratchet how he was doing. He couldn't hug Ratchet and kiss him. He couldn't even stand next to his amica without raising alarm.

"I'm sorry," Nacrea said, suddenly, and Starscream looked back at her.

"For?"

"You can't be with him right now. I understand how hard that is." Nacrea smiled. Of course she did. She'd faced her own prejudices over the years. "Maybe in a few years, when things relax a bit..."

Starscream waved a hand in the air, and looked up as one of the cameras loomed over them. He sighed, and tried to ignore it, but it wasn't easy. "I simply miss my amica, that's all," he said, and then glared at the camera. "For my own private, personal, and non-political reasons."

Nacrea laughed, and the camera bot backed off.

 

* * *

 

Day three of the meeting, and they were finally past the point where they were finished discussing the proposals for general Cybertron. It was the hardest part, arguing over which place might have first claim on a new hotspot, or if a colony was in one city-states proper territory and would have be moved or reissued, or if one law was unfair to another place, and it was all so boring that Starscream wanted to just hit his head on the table hard enough to induce stasis until it was over.

It didn't help that his spark ached in his chest, and that the stress was rising in the room. Each day held countless objections from city states over decisions, and deferment to Orion's judgement. Sometimes the decision was easy, sometimes it was not, but Orion had a way of searching the archives, of asking the right questions, of getting the perfect information to make both sides at least content and not completely disappointed when he made his rulings.

"Before the council closes for the day, I'd like to set forth a final proposal for review tomorrow," Nacrea said, and Orion nodded his head. She stood, typing out on her datapad, and each datapad in the room pinged as it downloaded her proposal. She smiled. "I would like to prose that those in registered _Amica_ or _Conjux Endura_ , but are on separate councils, be allowed contact during the proceedings of these meetings. I believe we are all professional enough for it, and if there is any doubt, then let them be recorded, and we can decide later if anything political was shared, then we can restrict their access and make their conversations public. This will help the emotional and mental health of all our members." She looked around the room. Some were listening to her, directly, and others were already reading her proposal. "I only ask for a review of the movement, and-"

"I would support this," The Praxian leader said, immediately, and he smiled. "I have members of my own advisors that will find no fault in this."

"It has our support," the Iacon council said, in unison, all of them raising their hands.

"I say we need to investigate this further before we choose anything-" someone else said, and arguments started instantly, as they were apt to do.

"Order," Orion said, and he waited until the council had stilled. "I suggest the council review this, and we can put it to an immediate vote. All those in favor?" Hands went up, far more than remained down. "One cycle to review the motion, and then we will vote." He nodded, and the councils went to their own chambers to review.

"Nacrea-," Starscream started, but the Vosian Empress just smiled at him.

"This is for everyone," Nacrea said, nodding. "I see it as a matter of not just personal comfort, but personal and mental heath. I'm sorry I didn't think of it propose it sooner, but it did take a few days to write. I think it'll pass without too much resistance or changes."

And, as they found out a few cycles later, after some revision, it did.

 

* * *

 

Day seven was their first chance to have a meal together, and Starscream leaned against Ratchet, one arm curled around his amica as they stared at each other, the window besides them providing a view to the busy city below them. The view was lost on them, too busy just being together. Their engines purred slightly in unison, foreheads resting against each other.

For obvious reasons, private comms were blocked unless they were on hard wire and recorded, but neither of them had to speak words to communicate. Just standing next to each other was enough.

They'd sat in the public cafeteria for their energon, holding hands, and Starscream had realized halfway through his cube that while their relationship hadn't been particularly secret, most outside of their inner circles or outside of Starscream's immediately command hadn't known about them. Those back on the Harbinger didn't go blabbing to their friends at home about their commander bedding a grounder, and besides the Autobots that had been on the outpost on earth, not many if any knew that Ratchet had been courted by the second-in-command of the Decepticon forces.

"You two are one of the hottest new celebrity couples on the grid," Thundercracker had said when he and Skywarp passed by, and Starscream hide his face in his free hand and sighed as Ratchet shrugged.

Politics and privacy never did mix.

As soon as their energon was done they'd snuck off, at least as well as a pair could sneak off when camera bots were around constantly. At least only one had followed them. They could deal with that.

"I can't believe there's another two weeks of this," Starscream grumbled, and glared at the camera. The unit whirred as it focused, and Starscream turned enough to look out the window instead.

"I'm sure it'll get easier." Ratchet curled a hand around Starscream, and one hand pet his wings. Slowly the wings relaxed, slowly Starscream leaned into his touch. "All in all, it's going a lot smoother than I expected. To be honest. I expected much more...argument."

"It's still early." Starscream sighed as a chime rang through the building, signaling that it was time to return to the council chambers. When he turned the cambot hovered right in his face, and he growled. "You want a recording? Fine!" He raised his voice, stomping his foot on the floor and poked a servo right against the camera lens. "As soon as this council is concluded I am going to take my _amica_ home and frag him senseless into the bed until he can't remember how to say anything else but my name!"

The camera bot zoomed backward, and Ratchet almost doubled over in laughter as Starscream pursued it, stomping angrily, demanding if it wanted to know every single detail.

 

* * *

 

It was a general rule of politics that no one would ever be completely 100% happy with decisions made, but, as Orion stated in his closing comments, they had all found a content medium with the things they'd voted on and decided upon. There would be a smaller, secondary meeting later that year, with only the leaders, to address any revisions that had to be made.

But, since Starscream was not the leader of Vos, he did not have to be present, which meant that until the next Prime Council meeting, he was done. Until the next meeting, Ratchet was his.

// _I'll see you back on the Harbinger tonight?_ // Starscream tapped out to Ratchet's datapad, and he watched as Ratchet's pad pinged and lit up. Ratchet read it, then nodded at Starscream, before turning to Orion to say something. Dealing with Orion (and Megatron) would likely take awhile, and Starscream had his own minor Vosian after politics to deal with, a some things to review. It was very likely that one of them would arrive home before the other.

In the end, it was several hours before Starscream had the chance to get a bridge back to Iacon, and another hour before he could get a space bridge back to Earth. Luckily, he didn't have to wait for a shuttle. His alt mode was space space for long enough.

Skywarp and Thundercracker came with him this time, spinning in formation around him as they flew into Harbinger's arrival airlock. The vacuum around them pressurized to match the ship. Heatseeker was waiting for them, and he saluted sharply. "Welcome back sir!"

"Thank you, Acting Captain." Starscream nodded, clasping his hands behind him. Skywarp and Thundercracker's fields brushed against him in passing, but they had already been dismissed, so they left, Skywarp chatting about something he'd seen before they'd left Vos. "Has Ratchet arrived?"

"A cycle ago. And my shift on the bridge just started, so if you want to wait until tomorrow to take command again...?"

"Hm. An excellent idea." Starscream's wings twitched. It would be nice to have some time for just him and Ratchet again. "I will retake command then."

"I look forward to it, sir. Have a good evening!" Heatseeker grinned, knowingly, and saluted again. Starscream returned it casually before walking off.

Starscream walked with a purpose, heeled pedes clicking on the floor as he made his way directly to the captain's cabin, his cabin, where he hoped Ratchet was waiting. He imagined Ratchet waiting for him, and his spark spun. Being along with the medic was going to be lovely, after so many eyes on them for so long. He stepped in front of the door, and it opened, and his wings twitched up as he saw Ratchet.

"So, I know you said you were going to frag me into the berth, but I thought we'd have some fuel first," Ratchet said, sitting on the couch, a bottle of high grade on the table before him. He set the data pad he'd been reading down, and held up a hand.

Starscream locked the door behind him as he walked over to his amica, hips swinging. He took Ratchet's hand and swung a leg over Ratchet's lap, sitting himself down on his thighs. "I suppose that's agreeable," he said, grinning at his lover. "Fuel first. Then fragging." Ratchet leaned in for a kiss, and Starscream returned it, thinking to himself.

He really could get used to this.


End file.
